WHY YOUR ONLINE MENU MATTERS

More and more bars are using digital menus, but why should you create an online menu? And what aspects do you need to think about when creating a menu for online? Let’s take a look at why and how you should invest time and effort into getting online menus right.

Why Create an Online Menu?

Your online menu is essential to the success of your bar. Research shows that 86% of potential guests say they browse online menus before dining out, so this will be the first aspect they judge your venue on.

Customers now expect your menu to provide on-demand information and convenience with just one tap of their screen.

To put it lightly: this is a massive opportunity to increase profitability and standout from the competition.

When done right, a mobile-ready, easy to navigate and informative online menu has the power to grab a customer’s attention and drive more footfall to your bar.

Tips for Creating an Online Menu

In the past, menus were really just about answering one question: “What should I order?” Today, customers compare a wide selection of online menus before even deciding on a venue. This means your menu must help them answer an even more important question: “Where can I find the experience I seek?”

When it comes to experience, it is critical that your menu provide guests with the information they want to know before choosing. This means setting expectations about price and selection and being transparent about ingredients and other special considerations like allergens or dietary needs. This type of information prequalifies potential customers and helps you to stand out from the crowd. It ensures that those visiting your venue will get the exact experience that they expect. It will also minimise any chance of getting a bad review.

It’s also critical that your menu works properly and looks good on a smartphone. There’s no way around it— mobile is king. While desktop and tablet viewing are still important, mobile dominates— take a look at some mobile facts below:

The Current Demand for Contactless & Online Menus

Menu viewing had already begun to shift online, and the rise of digitalisation over the last year rapidly accelerated the trend. Current consumer behaviour and restrictions mean that at-home occasions are the new norm and digital menus are more important than ever. Beyond that, nowadays you never know what ingredients are going to be available, so menus often need to be updated based what you can get. Online menus are perfect for this new normal.

But online menus aren’t just for at-home or on-the-go viewing anymore. When dining at restaurants or drinking in bars, the onset of new health and safety measures everywhere has brought about the move to contactless menus, viewable on customer’s phones, rather than physical menus. This can be done by integrating QR codes on table tents, storefront windows, and bar tops for instant access to your online menus.

Online Menus Can Boost Sales

In today’s fast-moving and competitive market, bars and restaurants need to use all the tools at their disposal to maximize opportunities for success. Online menus are one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal— a great one will get you discovered by new customers, convert researchers into customers, and can ultimately be the difference between thriving and struggling.

Five Key Takeaways

• Your online menu is the first thing potential customers will see, so it is important to take hold of this opportunity wisely.
• You need to set expectations about price and selection from the get-go.
• 60% of digital orders occur on mobile – so your menu needs to be smartphone friendly.
• The at-Home occasion has skyrocketed in the past year; digital menus are more important than ever.
• In the venue, online menus are on the rise due to sanitation regulations, so integrate QR codes at multiple touchpoints to make menu access easy.

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